Method and system for supplying a number of service providers with technical service devices

ABSTRACT

A method for supplying a number of service providers with technical service devices makes is possible to reduce the expense incurred by a service provider for supplying its service employees with service devices and simultaneously and to improve the service processes of the service provider and/or its quality of service. According to the invention, a number of service devices are assigned to each of the service providers, and each of the service providers respectively perform services at a number of facility locations that are located at locations different from storage locations for service devices thereof. The inventive method comprises the followings steps: managing the service devices via a device service provider to which the respective number of service devices can be made available by the service providers, with the aid of a data processing system, whereby each of the service providers can access the data processing system, and a delivery of one or more service devices of the service provider to a desired facility location can be requested via the data processing system; delivering the requested service device(s) to the desired facility location via the device service provider.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is the US National Stage of International ApplicationNo. PCT/DE2004/000755, filed Apr. 8, 2004 and claims the benefitthereof. The International Application claims the benefits of Germanapplication No. 10316481.2, filed Apr. 9, 2003, both applications areincorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method and system for supplying anumber of service providers with technical service devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In technical installations, numerous activities, in the area of faultrecovery, testing and maintenance for example, are performed bytechnical service providers. Service providers of this kind, e.g.after-sales service, quality assurance or maintenance departments oflarge organizations or specialist service companies, sometimes employ upto several thousand service personnel who are managed and administeredby a service organization and who perform their services mainly on aplurality of installations at different locations. Installations of thiskind can be, for-example, industrial facilities, hospitals, airports,large buildings, telecommunications equipment or power generation anddistribution plants.

In order to provide the services, e.g. rectifying faults in industrialfacilities, different, in some cases highly specialized, technicalequipment objects (referred to in the following as “service devices”),such as, for example, tools, instruments, testing and measuringequipment, are required. Service providers therefore possess amultiplicity of service devices which they make available to theirservice personnel for their service assignments.

Whether it is a matter of simple manual and consumable tools, specificimplements tailored to the particular service assignment or highlysensitive measurement and testing instruments, it all requirescomprehensive logistical organization in order to achieve timelydeployment at the correct location and not infrequently ties upconsiderable resources for administration and inventory management onthe part of the service organization. This is particularly the case whenthe services are provided at installation sites that are located atdifferent geographical locations to storage sites of the servicedevices.

FIG. 7 shows a service process of a service provider for a faultrecovery scenario and the effect of the tool and instrument provisioningon the service process and consequently also on the service quality.Similar processes are essentially found in quality assurance andmaintenance departments.

A fault occurring at time ts at an installation site is reported to theservice provider at time tse. After the response time trk has elapsed, aservice employee is notified at time t1 by his service organization viaa service order and makes preparations to deal with it. He requires thesetup time trn in order to clarify which service devices he requires andto requisition said devices, so he cannot set off for the installationsite affected by the fault until time t2. He arrives at the installationsite at time t3, as a result of which an onsite time ta=t3−tse isdefined. The service employee requires time te to fix the fault on theobject, so said object is available again from time t4. The employeeleaves the installation site again at time t5 and returns to his servicebase again at time t6. Only after completion of follow-up activities,for which he requires a post-processing time tn, is the entire orderclosed for the service employee at time t7.

The following are examples of problems that can occur in this scenarioand adversely affect the service process and/or the service quality:

With regard to the setup time trn:

-   Measuring instrument is not available and must first be procured-   Measuring instrument is not ready for use because it is incomplete-   Toolkit is incomplete

With regard to the fix time te:

-   Incorrect measurement results due to lack of calibration of a test    instrument-   Diagnosis is not possible because the wrong service device has been    supplied-   Use of outdated service devices requires more time for fault    recovery

With regard to the post-processing time tn:

-   Where to take defective measuring instruments?-   Who can repair a defective measuring instrument?-   Obtaining a new device/tool is difficult-   On many occasions technical issues need to be clarified between    supplier and service engineer

Other problems that can occur:

-   Overhasty decision to acquire an expensive measuring instrument/tool-   No cost/benefits study-   No overview of the existing device pool-   No transparency with regard to device use and device history

FIG 8 shows in a simplified representation by way of example a knownprocess for providing two service employees SP1 and SP2 of a serviceprovider SDL with service devices. The service assignments of theservice employees SP1 and SP2 take place at installation sites which areat different geographical locations to storage sites of the servicedevices. In this illustration, information flows are represented byunbroken lines, and material flows by dashed lines.

The service provider SDL has a first number of service devices SG1 at afirst storage site and a second number of service devices SG2 at asecond storage site which are administered—as indicated with the aid ofthe arrows LV1 and LV2—by the service provider's service organizationSO. The service organization offers its service employees SP1, SP2 saidservice devices in the form of service device proposals AG1 and AG2.

After receiving a service order, the service employee SP1 transmits arequest AF1 to the service organization SO for delivery of desiredservice devices to a desired installation site. Said request records theorder and now contracts a service provider DL1 by means of a deliveryorder DAF11 to supply desired service devices from the storage depot ofthe service devices SG1 to the storage depot of the service devices SG2,the commissioning of the complete consignment and the readying fordelivery. For delivery AL1 of the service devices to the serviceemployee SP1, the service organization SO contracts a second serviceprovider DL2 by means of a delivery order DAF12.

If, at the end of the service device usage time, the service employeeSP1 wishes the service devices to be returned to their storagelocations, he transmits a return delivery request RF1 to the serviceorganization SO. The latter records the return request RF1 and nowcontracts in turn the service providers DL1 and DL2 by means of returnrequests DRF11 and DRF12, respectively, with the return delivery RL1 ofthe service devices to their respective storage sites. Followingcompletion of the return delivery RL1, the service providers DL1 and DL2transmit their invoices RG11 and RG12, respectively, to the serviceorganization SO.

In a similar manner, following a delivery request AF2 by the serviceemployee SP2 the service organization makes arrangements via the serviceproviders DL1 and DL2 for a delivery AL2 and, after receiving a returndelivery request RF2, for a return delivery RL2 of desired servicedevices. The information flows taking place during this processcorrespond to the information flows explained above and are designatedin FIG. 8 by means of the subscripted numerals “2” and “21” and “22” inthe reference symbols.

For the delivery and return delivery of service devices, the serviceemployees turn to their service organization. Thus, the requests by saidservice employees must be recorded on the part of the serviceorganization and the availability of the service devices checked in theservice device inventories. In the case of the deliveries and returndeliveries the service providers DL1 and DL2 must then be selected andmonitored.

In order to avoid the aforementioned problems in the service processand/or the service quality, the service providers must maintain anaccurate oversight over their service device inventory, monitorinspection schedules and cycles of measuring instruments (e.g. forcalibrations) and carry out, document and archive the necessary checks,as well as provide replacement devices for their service employees ifnecessary. The acquisition of new service devices and the take-back ofdefective service devices and their repair processing must also beorganized by the service providers.

All of these activities necessary for good service device provisioningcause a high labor overhead on the part of the service provider. Often,however, the aforementioned problems in the service process cannot beavoided nonetheless and lead to a degradation of the service processand/or the service quality.

The object of the present invention is therefore to specify a method anda system which permit a reduction in the overhead required on theservice provider side for supplying their service employees with servicedevices and at the same time an improvement in their service processand/or service quality through avoidance of the aforementioned problemsto a large extent.

The object directed at the method is achieved according to the inventionby a method for supplying a plurality of service providers withtechnical service devices, wherein each of the service providers isassigned a plurality of service devices in each case and each of theservice providers performs services in each case at a plurality ofinstallation sites which are at different locations from storage sitesfor their service devices, said method comprising the following methodsteps:

-   administration, with the aid of a data processing system, of the    service devices by a device service provider to which the respective    plurality of service devices is made available by the service    providers, each of the service providers being able to access the    data processing system and to request, via the data processing    system, a delivery of one or more of their service devices to a    desired installation site,-   delivery of the requested service device(s) to the desired    installation site by the device service provider.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are presented in dependentclaims.

According to the invention, the respective plurality of the servicedevices associated with a respective service provider—e.g. on account ofownership—are made available to a device service provider whoadministers said devices by means of a data processing system. Theservice devices can be made available, for example, by transfer ofpossession and provision of information and/or technical data relatingto the service devices. The service providers can access the dataprocessing system and request, via the data processing system, adelivery of one or more of their service devices to a desiredinstallation site. Thus, service personnel no longer turn to theirservice organization when they need a service device, but instead referto the device service provider. The device service provider subsequentlydelivers the requested service devices to the desired installation site.The service providers thus relinquish their competency in service deviceprovisioning to their service employees to the device service providerand therefore to a separate company that is different from the serviceproviders.

In the known process explained with reference to FIG. 8, a number ofservice providers, freight carriers for example, must be contracted bythe service provider before a desired device is at a desiredinstallation site. This leads, for example in the service providercontrolling function, to a multiplicity of redundant processes. Theexistence of a large number of interfaces results in information losses,e.g. in relation to a precise storage site or required calibrations of aservice device which can lead to the initially mentioned problems thatadversely affect the service quality.

In comparison therewith, the inventive centralized administration of theservice devices by the device service provider eliminates a plurality ofthe—in some cases even redundant—sub-processes and interfaces in thesupply process. The overhead for the service device provisioning istherefore reduced overall and the provisioning times can be shortened.Through an end-to-end supply of information with the aid of the dataprocessing system information losses can be avoided and consequently theservice quality improved. At the same time the service deviceinventories can be administered on a cross-regional basis or across allstorage locations and so be used efficiently. With an efficient use ofthe service devices such as this, it may even be possible to reduceexisting service device inventories and thus enable the assets of theservice provider to be reduced.

More particularly, especially labor-intensive activities on the part ofthe service provider, such as the recording of delivery and returndelivery requests, repair and calibration monitoring and processing andthe inventory controlling function, can be eliminated.

The device service provider preferably has a plurality of self-ownedadditional service devices that the service providers can request fordelivery to the desired installation site via the data processingsystem. The device service provider thus has a pool of devices availablewhich the service providers can access and from which they can take outon loan or lease individual or multiple devices. In this way theavailabilities of service devices for the individual service providerscan be increased without the service provider being obliged to buyadditional devices. Very cost-intensive devices do not need to bebought, but can be leased from the device service provider. It is evenpossible to reduce the inventory of service devices and hence the assetson the part of the service provider.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, atleast one of the service providers can request a service device ofanother of the service providers via the data processing system. Theservice providers can thus access a pool of service devices into whichare channeled the devices of at least one, and in the best case, of allthe service providers. By this means either the availability of servicedevices for the at least one, or in the best case for all, serviceproviders can be increased or, if the availability remains constant,their inventories can be reduced and/or the acquisition of devicesavoided.

The object directed at the system is achieved according to the inventionby a system for supplying a plurality of service providers withtechnical service devices, each of the service providers being assigneda plurality of service devices in each case and each of the serviceproviders in each case performing services at a number of installationsites that are at different locations from storage sites for theirservice devices, having

-   a data processing system of a device service provider, to which the    respective plurality of service devices is made available by the    service providers, for administration of the service devices,    whereby the data processing system is accessible to each of the    service providers and a delivery of one or more of their service    devices to a desired installation site can be requested via the data    processing system,-   means for initiating the delivery of the requested service device(s)    to the desired installation site by the device service provider.

The considerations and advantages in relation to the method according tothe invention apply analogously to the system according to theinvention.

The invention and further advantageous embodiments of the inventionaccording to features of the dependent claims are explained in moredetail below in a simplified illustration with reference to exemplaryembodiments in the figures. The same reference characters are used forthe same elements in the figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1: shows a supply process for service devices according to theinvention,

FIG. 2: shows a block diagram of a first embodiment of a systemaccording to the invention,

FIG. 3: is a flowchart of an embodiment of the method according to theinvention,

FIG. 4: is a block diagram of a second embodiment of a system accordingto the invention,

FIG. 5: shows an embodiment of a web page providing inventoryinformation,

FIG. 6: shows an embodiment of a web page for electronic release by aline manager,

FIG. 7: shows a service process of a service provider for a faultrecovery scenario, and

FIG. 8: shows in a simplified representation by way of example a knownprocess for providing two service employees SP1 and SP2 of a serviceprovider SDL with service devices.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

FIG 1 shows a simplified illustration of a process according to theinvention for supplying two service employees SP11 and SP12 of a serviceprovider SDL1 with service devices. The service provider SDL1 owns afirst number of service devices SG11 and a second number of servicedevices SG12 which are located at different storage sites in each caseand which he has made available to a device service provider GDL.

The device service provider GDL has a data processing system DV for theadministration LV of the service devices SG11 and SG12. The dataprocessing system DV provides the service employees SP11 and SP12 withinformation about the service devices available to them by means ofproposals AG11 and AG12 respectively.

The service employee SP11 can access the data processing system DV andrequest desired service devices for delivery via a delivery requestAF11. The data processing system DV initiates the delivery AL11 of thedesired service devices to the service employee SP11 from the deviceinventories SG11 and/or SG12 by the device service provider.

If, at the end of the service device usage time, the service employeeSP11 wants a return delivery of the service devices to their respectivestorage sites, he transmits a return delivery request RF11 to the dataprocessing system DV, which initiates a return delivery RL11 of theservice devices to their respective storage site by the device serviceprovider GDL. Once the return delivery has been completed, the dataprocessing system DV transmits an invoice RG11 to the serviceorganization SO1 of the service provider SDL1. If a recall of theservice device is necessary (e.g. because a calibration thereof isrequired), a recall message RR11 is sent to the service employee SP11 bythe data processing system DV, whereupon the return delivery RL11 of theservice device by the device service provider is initiated by the dataprocessing system DV.

In an analogous manner the data processing system DV also organizes adelivery AL12 or, as the case may be, return delivery RL11 of servicedevices following a delivery request AF12 or, as the case may be,takeback request RF12 of a service employee SP12. The associatedinformation flows are designated by the subscripted numerals “12” in thereference symbols.

As can be seen from FIG. 1, the entire processing of the deliveryrequest through to the return delivery of the service devices is handledby the device service provider GDL. Only the device service provider GDLand hence only a single service provider needs to be monitored on thepart of the service provider SDL1.

In addition the device service provider GDL has a plurality ofself-owned service devices SG-GDL which are likewise administered by thedata processing system DV and which can be requested by serviceemployees of the service provider SDL1 via the data processing system DVfor delivery to a desired installation site.

In addition the device service provider GDL also supplies a serviceprovider SDL2 with service devices. The service provider SDL2 isassigned the service devices SG2 which he has made available to thedevice service provider GDL. The service devices SG2 are alsoadministered by the data processing system DV. The service provider SDL2can access the data processing system DV and request a delivery of oneor more of his service devices to a desired installation site via thedata processing system DV. Supply processes for two employees SP21 andSP22 of the service provider SDL2 are depicted in FIG. 1 by way ofexample. The information and material flows correspond to theinformation and material flows already explained in connection with theservice employees SP11 and SP12 and are designated by the subscriptednumerals “21” and “22” respectively in the reference symbols.

Overall, the service devices SG11 and SG12 of the service provider SDL1,the service devices SG-GDL of the device service provider GDL and theservice devices SG2 of the service provider SDL2 are combined to form apool of service devices which can be accessed by both the serviceprovider SDL1 and the service provider SDL2, with the result that theavailability of service devices for the two service providers SDL1 andSDL2 can be significantly increased.

FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a first embodiment of a system accordingto the invention. The system 1 has as its central element a dataprocessing system, embodied as a server computer system 4, of a deviceservice provider for the administration of service devices (not shown infurther detail) which either have been made available to the deviceservice provider by one or more service providers or are owned by thedevice service provider.

The server computer system 4 has a database 6 in which a device datarecord 13 is stored in each case for each of the service devices, saiddevice data record 13 containing data uniquely characterizing therespective service device in terms of device type, location and user.The location data enables accurate tracking of the location of theservice device for fast accesses and short provisioning times. The userdata permits a personnel-related administration of the service devicesfor time- and cost-optimized device deployment.

A device data record 13 preferably additionally includes device ownerdata, leasing costs data and/or purchase price data. The device ownerdata specifies to which service device inventory the service device isassigned, i.e. to which of the service providers it belongs or whetherit belongs to the device service provider.

The leasing costs data specifies the leasing costs (e.g. per time unit)and the purchase price data the purchase price of the device and areused for the invoicing. According to a particularly advantageousembodiment of the invention the device data record additionally includesa date for a recall of the service device, e.g. for the purpose of acalibration of the service device.

Also stored in the database 6 for each of the service personnel definedby the service providers for service device requests is a personnel datarecord 14 containing data uniquely characterizing the service personnelin terms of name and associated service provider. In this contextservice personnel can be a single service employee or a whole group ofservice employees who can be identified as a group via a personnel datarecord 14. The personnel data record 14 preferably includes criteria forthe validity of a device request and/or a person with releaseauthorization for release of an invalid device request. The personneldata record also has information relating to the service devicesassigned to the service personnel.

In addition the database 6 has a service organization data record 15 foreach of the service organizations of the service providers. Said serviceorganization data record 15 contains information relating to loan,leasing and purchase conditions as well as addresses for invoicing.

The server computer system 4 additionally has a plurality 7 of web pageswhich can be sent to a client computer and displayed thereon. A web page8 for the delivery request serves to display the service devices definedby the personnel data records 14 in conjunction with the device datarecords 13. The web page 8 preferably has input fields for selection andrequesting of one or more of the displayed service devices as well asfor the input of a delivery location and delivery date. A web page 9 forthe return delivery request serves to display the delivered devices andfor selection and requesting of the return delivery for one or more ofthe displayed service devices.

The devices pending release can be displayed to a person with releaseauthorization for selection and release via a web page 10 for release ofa delivery request. The inventory of available and delivered devices canbe displayed for employees of the device service provider or else alsofor management employees of the service providers via a web page 11 forinventory information. A web page 12 for user identification serves forinput of a user identification. An administrator can add, edit or deletedevice data records 13, personnel data records 14 and serviceorganization data records 15 via a web page 29 Administrator Interface.Further web pages that are not shown can be used, for example, forgenerating repots, e.g. for displaying calibration reports.

Furthermore the server computer system 4 has a plurality of functionalmeans 16 for executing administration and monitoring functions. Saidfunctional means can be implemented in hardware and/or in software inthe server computer system 4. They include:

-   means 17 for generating a catalog, i.e. for generating a catalog of    the service devices that can be requested by service personnel, only    the service devices assigned to said service personnel being    displayed to the service personnel in each case,-   means 18 for checking the availability of a requested service device    in the service provider's service device inventory administered by    the device service provider,-   means 19 for checking the availability of a requested service device    in a service device inventory owned by the device service provider,-   means 20 for checking the availability of a requested service device    in the further service provider's service device inventory    administered by the device service provider,-   means 21 for initiating a purchase of a requested service device,-   means 22 for checking the validity of a device request from service    personnel against the personnel-related admissibility criteria of    the service personnel and for outputting a release request to the    person with release authorization associated with the service    personnel in the event that the device request is not valid,-   means 23 for initiating the delivery of a requested service device    to the desired installation site by the device service provider,    e.g. by means of an automatic printout of a delivery note on a    printer,-   means 24 for the automatic comparison of a current date with the    date for a recall of the service device and for initiating a return    delivery of the service device to the device service provider in the    event that the current date exceeds the recall date,-   means 25 for monitoring for a return delivery request of a service    employee,-   means 26 for initiating the return delivery of a service device    following receipt of a return delivery request, and-   means 27 for cost calculation and invoicing to a service    organization.

The interworking and time sequencing of the functional means 16 isaccomplished by means of a scheduler that is not shown in furtherdetail.

The server computer system 4 can be accessed via a data communicationsnetwork 3. The network can be for example the internet and/or anintranet. The network 3 can also contain a mobile network, operating inaccordance with the WAP or UMTS protocol for example.

The server computer system 4 is accessed by the service provider via thenetwork 3 by means of the client computers 5. The client computers 5 canbe conventional personal computers equipped with a standard web browser,e.g. Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Internet Explorer. However, theycan also be mobile computers equipped with a wireless interface, as wellas mobile telephones with WAP or UMTS capability. Equally, personaldigital assistants with a network interface and also so-called “webpads” can be used as client computers 5.

The interworking of the different components and functional means willnow be explained with the aid of FIG. 3, which shows a flowchart of aparticularly advantageous embodiment of the method according to theinvention. In step 50, a service employee who wants to request a servicedevice first starts a browser program on his client computer 5 andenters the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) of the server computer system4 of the device service provider.

In step 51, the web page 12 for user identification is loaded onto theclient computer 5 of the service employee by the server computer system4 and the service employee identifies himself to the server computersystem 4 by means of his user name.

In step 52, the means 17 for catalog generation of the server computersystem 4 searches in the personnel data records 14 stored in thedatabase 6 for the personnel data record associated with the user nameand the service devices assigned to the service employee by means of hispersonnel data record and loads the web page 8 for the delivery requestwith a catalog of these devices onto the client computer 5 of theservice employee. The means 17 takes details listed in the catalog andidentifying the devices more precisely, such as, for example, typespecifications, from the associated device data records. Thus, by meansof the individual catalog generation only the service devices actuallyrelevant to a service employee are displayed for him and laborioussearch procedures are eliminated.

In step 53, the service employee then selects the desired servicedevices from the catalog offered to him and in step 54 enters thedesired delivery date and the desired delivery location in an inputfield of the web page 8 for the delivery request. In step 55, theservice employee sends his request to the server computer system 4.

In step 56, the server computer system 4 now automatically starts anavailability check. First, in step 57, the availability of a requesteddevice in the service provider's service device inventory administeredby the device service provider is checked with the aid of the means 18.If the availability in the service device inventory of the serviceprovider is established, in step 62 a loan of the device to the serviceemployee is initiated by the means 23 for delivery and in step 66 adelivery of the service device from the service device inventory of theservice provider is initiated.

If there is no availability in the service device inventory of theservice provider, in step 58 a the availability of the service device ina service device inventory owned by the device service provider ischecked with the aid of the means 19. If there is availability in thedevice service provider's service device inventory, in step 63 theservice device is leased to the service provider with the aid of themeans 23 and in step 66 the service device is delivered from the deviceservice provider's own service device inventory.

If there is no availability in the device service provider's own servicedevice inventory, in step 58 b the availability of the service device inthe service device inventories of the further service providers ischecked automatically with the aid of the means 20. If there isavailability in one of the service device inventories of the furtherservice providers, in step 63 the service device is leased to theservice provider with the aid of the means 23 and in step 66 the servicedevice is delivered from the service device inventory of one of thefurther service providers.

If there is no availability in the service device inventory of thefurther service providers, a check is made automatically by the means 21to determine whether a purchase of the service device is possible.Toward that end, in step 59 the means 21 determines from the device datarecord associated with the device the purchase price of the device andcompares said purchase price with the maximum permissible purchase pricestored in the personnel data record of the service employee. If thepurchase price is less than the maximum permissible purchase price, apurchase 64 and, following on therefrom, a delivery 66 of the servicedevice is initiated with the aid of the means 23. If the purchase priceis greater than the maximum permissible purchase price, in step 60 themeans 22 for release monitoring is used to automatically request aperson with release authorization stored in the personnel-related data,e.g. the line manager of the service employee, to release (approve) thepurchase. This is accomplished e.g. by the sending of an email to theperson with release authorization via the network 3. The releaseapproval or rejection is effected with the aid of the web page 10 forrelease which is sent by the means 22 to the client computer 5 of theperson with release authorization.

In step 61 a check is made to determine whether the purchase has beenreleased by the person with release authorization. If no release ispresent, in step 65 the service employee is notified thereof, e.g. inthe form of an email, and the method terminated. If a release has beenapproved, a purchase 64 of the device is initiated by the means 21 forinitiating purchase 64 and its delivery 66 is initiated by the means 23for initiating delivery.

Once the service device has been delivered, the means 24 for recallmonitoring automatically compares a current date with a date for arecall of the service device stored in the device data record. If thecurrent date exceeds the recall date,.a recall of the service device tothe device service provider is initiated. Toward that end, in step 69the service employee is notified with regard to the recall by the means24, in step 70 the delivery of a replacement device to the serviceemployee is initiated, and in step 71 the return delivery of therecalled device by the device service provider is initiated by the means26 for initiating the return delivery.

If the current date does not exceed the recall date, the means 25 forreturn delivery request monitoring checks whether a return deliveryrequest relating to the device has been made by the service employee.The service employee can report such a return delivery request to theserver computer system 4 by means of an email, for example, or via theweb page 9 for the return delivery request. If a return delivery requestfrom the service employee is present, in step 71 the return delivery ofthe recalled device by the device service provider is initiated by themeans 26 for initiating the return delivery. If no return deliveryrequest is present, a return branch is made to step 67. On completion ofthe return delivery, in step 72 an invoice is automatically sent to theservice employee's service organization by the means 27 for invoicing.

FIG 4 shows in a schematic representation a further advantageousembodiment of a system 1 according to the invention. The system 1 has adata processing system DV comprising a server computer system with a webserver 30 which can be accessed by the service providers via clientcomputers embodied as notebooks 33 and/or workstations 32 and theinternet 35.

The web pages 7 and functional means 16 according to FIG. 2 reside onthe web server 30. The database 6 containing the device data records 13,personnel data records 14 and service organization data records 15according to FIG. 2 resides on a database server 34 which is connectedto the web server 30 and is preferably embodied as a SQL 2000 databaseserver. Employees of the device service provider such as, for example,logistics handlers, calibration departments or administrators can accessthe web server 30 and the database server 34 via workstations 40 and anintranet 36.

In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 4, a web server 30 and adatabase server 34 are provided for and can be accessed by all serviceproviders. However, it is also possible for each of the serviceproviders to provide a web server 30 in each case and/or a databaseserver 34 in each case which can then also be accessed only by therespective service provider. The individual web servers can then beinterconnected via a data network, via an intranet for example.

Located between the web server 30 and the internet 35 is a firewall 37a. For security reasons many service providers do not allow web serverscontaining personnel data to be installed immediately behind a firewall,so a further web server 31 with no resident data resource is insertedupstream of the web server 30 as a front-end which only establishes aconnection to the web server 30 and the database server 34. A secondfirewall 37 b is located between the web server 31 with no resident dataresource and the web server 30. A so-called “demilitarized zone” 38 isimplemented by means of the firewalls 37 a and 37 b.

On the web server 30, server pages ensure a dynamic interaction with auser. From the server pages it is possible to access an EIS layer, thatis to say database systems (SQL Server) and EIS systems (Colorado,B.O.S.). In the case of the system 1 according to FIG. 4, a connectionto an ERP system 39 of the device service provider is established via aweb application server 41.

According to the computer architecture a plurality of responsibilitylevels (tiers) exist. Specifically, the following logical tiers occur:

-   A client tier based on thin clients, so that users can access the    functionality of the data processing system via their browser.-   Two successive tiers composed of web servers which are shielded off    from accessing users by firewalls.-   An integration tier via which data from different EIS and legacy    applications is used, from databases and SAP for example.-   An EIS tier in which the actual useful data is permanently stored,    that is to say in database systems such as SQL Server and ERP    systems such as SAP.

The integration of, for example, Colorado, B.O.S. and the databasesystem is taken into account in the architecture by means of a separateintegration tier.

Data security can be ensured via encryption, authentication andauthorization, via the database system (SQL Server) for example.

Further examples of the functional scope and a web-based presentation(user interface) of these functions are shown in FIG. 5 for apersonnel-related material management system and in FIG. 6 for anelectronic release by a line manager.

Preferred application areas for the method and system according to theinvention are:

-   Personnel-related management and administration of the technical    service equipment at large organizations with a large number of    service engineers (e.g. 5000-10000 service engineers).-   Full provisioning of major industrial projects with tools and    measuring and testing facilities (e.g. construction site plant)-   Procurement, management and administration of technical plant and    equipment assets with annual acquisition values of more than    50 million, handling of over 100,000 orders in the leasing and sales    business.

Achievable advantages in this case are:

-   No laborious search procedures for service employees when ordering,    since catalogs are already specified and configured on a    customer-specific basis in the preliminary phase.-   Company investments for the acquisition of high-value measuring and    testing devices can be reduced through the use of a calibration    pool.-   Time- and cost-optimized device deployment based on transparent,    personnel-related administration of plant and equipment.-   End-to-end process engineering and integration into the service    management processes increases productivity in the service    organizations.-   Reduction of the administration overhead through online information    exchange, e.g. for line manager release of orders or electronic    sending and archiving of test results and reports.

In principle, instead of being used to supply a plurality of serviceproviders, the method and system according to the invention can also beused to supply only a single service provider with service devices. Inthis case, however, it would then not be possible to access servicedevices of a further service provider. Furthermore it is also possiblethat one or more of the service providers make no service devicesavailable to the device service provider (e.g. because they do notpossess any service devices) and so said service providers are suppliedwith service devices exclusively from the service device inventories ofthe device service provider and/or other service providers.

The invention further comprises advantageous embodiments of a system:

A system (1), wherein the device service provider (GDL) has a pluralityof self-owned additional service devices (SG-GDL) which can be requestedfor the service providers (SDL1, SDL2) via the data processing system(DV) for delivery to the desired installation site.

A system (1), wherein a service device of another of the serviceproviders (SDL2) can be requested by at least one of the serviceproviders (SDL1) via the data processing system (DV).

A system (1), wherein the data processing system (DV) has means (18) forchecking the availability of a requested service device in the servicedevice inventory of the service provider (SDL1 or SDL2), said servicedevice inventory being administered by the device service provider(GDL).

A system (1), wherein the data processing system (DV) has means (19) forchecking the availability of a requested service device in a servicedevice inventory owned by the device service provider (GDL).

A system (1), wherein the data processing system (DV) has means (20) forchecking the availability of a requested service device in the servicedevice inventory of the further service provider (SDL2 or SDL1), saidservice device inventory being administered by the device serviceprovider (GDL).

A system (1), wherein the data processing system (DV) has means (21) forinitiating a purchase of a requested service device.

A system (1), wherein the technical service devices comprise toolsand/or measuring and/or testing means.

A system (1), wherein the service providers (SDL1, SDL2) are connectedto the data processing system (DV) via a data communications network(3), in particular the internet and/or an intranet.

A system (1), wherein a device data record (13) is stored in the dataprocessing system (DV) for each of the service devices, said device datarecord (13) containing data uniquely characterizing the respectiveservice device in terms of device type, location and user.

A system (1), wherein the device data record (13) additionally includesdevice owner data, leasing costs data and/or purchase price data.

A system (1), wherein the device data record (13) additionally includesa date for a recall of the service device.

A system (1), wherein the data processing system (DV) has means (24) forautomatically comparing a current date with the date for a recall of theservice device and for initiating a return delivery of the servicedevice to the device service provider if the current date exceeds therecall date.

A system (1), wherein the date for a recall of the service device is adate for the calibration of said service device.

A system (1), wherein the service providers (SDL1, SDL2) have a definedset of service personnel (SP11, SP12, SP21, SP22) who can requestservice devices and that in the data processing system (DV) there isstored for each of the service personnel a respective personnel datarecord (14) containing data uniquely characterizing the servicepersonnel in terms of name and associated service provider.

A system (1), wherein the personnel data record (14) includes criteriafor the validity of a device request and/or a person with releaseauthorization for the release of an invalid device request.

A system (1), wherein the data processing system (DV) has means (22) forchecking the validity of a device request of service personnel againstthe personnel-related admissibility criteria of the service personneland for outputting a release request to the person with releaseauthorization associated with the service personnel if the devicerequest is not valid.

A system (1), wherein the personnel-related admissibility criteriainclude a maximum permitted purchase price.

A system (1), wherein one or more of the service devices are assigned toservice personnel in the data processing system (DV) and that means (17)for catalog generation are provided by means of which only the servicedevices assigned to the service personnel in each case can be displayedin the form of a catalog.

A system (1), wherein the data processing system (DV) has a database (6)in which the device data records (13) and/or the personnel data records(14) are stored.

A system (1), wherein the data processing system (DV) is a servercomputer system (4).

A system (1), wherein the service providers access the server computersystem (4) via client computers (5).

A system (1), wherein the server computer system (4) comprises at leastone web server (30).

A system (1), wherein a web server (34) with no resident data resourceis installed upstream of the web server 30 as a front-end.

A system (1), wherein the web server (30) is communicatively connectedto one or more ERP database systems (39).

1.-44. (canceled)
 45. A method for supplying a number of serviceproviders with technical service devices, wherein each of the serviceproviders is assigned a plurality of service devices in each case andeach of the service providers in each case provides services to aplurality of installation sites which are at different locations fromstorage sites for their service devices, the method comprising thefollowing steps: managing the service devices by a device serviceprovider to which the respective plurality of service devices is madeavailable by the service providers, wherein the managing is performedwith the aid of a data processing system, wherein each of the serviceproviders has access to the data processing system and is able torequest a delivery of a service device to a desired installation sitevia the data processing system; and delivering the requested servicedevice to the desired installation site by the device service provider.46. The method as claimed in claim 45, wherein the device serviceprovider has a plurality of self-owned additional service devices whichthe service providers can request via the data processing system fordelivery to the desired installation site.
 47. The method as claimed inclaim 45, wherein at least one of the service providers can request aservice device of another of the service providers via the dataprocessing system.
 48. The method as claimed in claim 45, whereinfollowing a request for a service device by one of the service providersthe following steps are executed by the data processing system: checkingof the availability of the requested service device in the serviceprovider's service device inventory managed by the device serviceprovider, and if there is availability in the service device inventoryof the service provider, delivering the service device from the serviceprovider's service device inventory.
 49. The method as claimed in claim48, wherein the following further steps are executed by the dataprocessing system: if there is no availability in the service deviceinventory of the service provider, checking the availability of theservice device in a service device inventory owned by the device serviceprovider, and if there is availability in the device service provider'sown service device inventory, delivery of the service device from thedevice service provider's own service device inventory.
 50. The methodas claimed in claim 49, wherein the following further steps are executedby the data processing system: if there is no availability in the deviceservice provider's own service device inventory, checking theavailability of the service device in the service device inventories ofthe further service providers, and if there is availability in theservice device inventories of the further service providers, deliveringthe service device from the service device inventory of one of thefurther service providers.
 51. The method as claimed in claim 50,wherein the following further steps are executed by the data processingsystem: if there is no availability in the service device inventory ofthe further service providers, purchasing and delivering the servicedevice by the device service provider.
 52. The method as claimed inclaim 45, wherein the technical service devices comprise tools, and/ormeasuring means, and/or testing means.
 53. The method as claimed inclaim 45, wherein the service providers access the data processingsystem via a data communications network.
 54. The method as claimed inclaim 53, wherein the data communications network is the Internet and/oran intranet.
 55. The method as claimed in claim 45, wherein a devicedata record is stored in the data processing system for each of theservice devices, said device data record containing data uniquelycharacterizing the respective service device in terms of device type,location and user.
 56. The method as claimed in claim 55, wherein thedevice data record further includes device owner data, and/or leasingcosts data, and/or purchase price data.
 57. The method as claimed inclaim 55, wherein the device data record further includes a date for arecall of the service device.
 58. The method as claimed in claim 57,wherein the data processing system automatically compares a current datewith the date for a recall of the service device, and wherein if thecurrent date exceeds the recall date, a recall of the service device tothe device service provider is initiated.
 59. The method as claimed inclaim 57, wherein the date for a recall of the service device is a datefor a calibration of the service device.
 60. The method as claimed inclaim 45, wherein the service providers have a defined set of servicepersonnel who can request service devices, and wherein in the dataprocessing system is stored for each of the service personnel arespective personnel data record containing data uniquely characterizingthe service personnel in terms of name and associated service provider.61. The method as claimed in claim 60, wherein the personnel data recordcomprises criteria for the validity of a device request and/or a personwith release authorization for the release of an invalid device request.62. The method as claimed in claim 61, wherein, when a device request ismade by service personnel the data processing system checks the validityof the device request regarding the personnel-related admissibilitycriteria, and wherein, if the device request is not valid, the dataprocessing system requests a person with release authorizationassociated with the service personnel to initiate a release of thedevice request.
 63. The method as claimed in claim 61, wherein thepersonnel-related admissibility criteria comprise a maximum permittedpurchase price.
 64. The method as claimed in claim 60, wherein one ormore of the service devices are assigned to service personnel in thedata processing system, and wherein only the service devices assigned tosaid service personnel are offered by the data processing system in theform of a catalog for requests.
 65. A method for supplying a number ofservice providers with technical service devices, wherein each of theservice providers is assigned a plurality of service devices in eachcase and each of the service providers in each case provides services toa plurality of installation sites which are at different locations fromstorage sites for their service devices, comprising the following methodsteps: administration, with the aid of a data processing system, of theservice devices by a device service provider to which the respectiveplurality of service devices is made available by the service providers,each of the service providers being able to access the data processingsystem and to request, via the data processing system, a delivery of oneor more of their service devices to a desired installation site, anddelivery of the requested service device(s) to the desired installationsite by the device service provider.
 66. A system for supplying aplurality of service providers with technical service devices, whereineach of the service providers is assigned a plurality of service devicesin each case and each of the service providers in each case providesservices at a number of installation sites that are at differentlocations from storage sites for their service devices, the systemcomprising: a data processing system of a device service provider towhom the respective plurality of service devices is made available bythe service providers, for administration of the service devices,whereby the data processing system is accessible to each of the serviceproviders and a delivery of one or more of their service devices to adesired installation site can be requested via the data processingsystem; and a mechanism for initiating the delivery of the requestedservice device(s) to the desired installation site by the device serviceprovider.